WO2020070561A1

WO2020070561A1 - Refill system for ink-filled felt-tip pens and markers

Info

Publication number: WO2020070561A1
Application number: PCT/IB2019/026280
Authority: WO
Inventors: Alexander WAHL; Gunter Tannhäuser
Original assignee: Genima Innovations Marketing Gmbh
Priority date: 2018-09-06
Filing date: 2019-09-04
Publication date: 2020-04-09
Also published as: DE202018004141U1

Abstract

A refill system for felt-tip pens (8) and board markers consists of a vacuuming vessel (6) into which the marker tip (19) is inserted by a sealing ring. The vessel (6) is evacuated and causes negative pressure within the ink chamber (18) of the marker (8), which thereby is refilled.

Description

Refill system for ink-filled felt-tip pens and markers

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Felt-tip pens, and -markers usually have only limited volume for inks and therefore must fre quently be replaced or refilled.

PRIOR ART

Initially, there were types that were provided with a bolted opening for to be refilled with ink. These are now rather uncommon, because even with great care and the use of medical syringes and needles the handling often results in soils, that are difficult to be removed from hands and the environment

This is also true for methods where the ink is cannulated from outside under the felt tip, and even more so for devices that are not filled with syringes, but with compressible cartridges as described in USD 743,488.

By contrast, even methods by which the felt-tip pen or marker is pressed into an enclosing seal and ink is subsequently pumped In, as described in US 2009 0142 128 A1 , are not safe. If the seal ring is damaged or the operator does not carefully and accurately center the pin, the ink may splash out sidewards.

TASK OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method by which the refilling of inks in felt pens and markers can be done easily, quickly and safely.

SOLUTION

The inventive step here is not to fill the inks with pressure, but to evacuate the reservoir in the pen and then let new ink be sucked in. As a result, the capacity is limited by the given volume of the reservoir and soiling due to overpressure will be avoided.

DESCRIPTION

The execution is preferably carried out with a standard mini-vacuum pump; such as those used to evacuate foil bags for food storage. But there are also hand pumps of all kinds con- ceivable that cause a negative pressure. They are connected to a housing in which negative pressure is created and in the suction opening of that the pen to be filled is pressed with its tip through a sealing ring so that its ink chamber is evacuated through the felt.

By then pressing the pin into the seal of an ink chamber within the housing of that device, the pen refills completely with sucked-in fresh ink.

At different pre-used and refillabie inks, the process can be supplemented by an intermediate cleaning cycle with the same technology and solvents. However, in a preferred embodiment several units are integrated in one housing for each color, so to avoid intermediate cleaning cycles.

MODE OF OPERATION AS TO FIG. 1

The empty marking pen (8) is inserted and held by hand into the insertion area (12) of the fill ing module (6). With the other hand, the vacuum pump (7) is activated, the valve (14) opens and creates in the filling module (6) and in the sequence in the marking pen (8) a negative pressure. As a result, the marking pin (8) in the insertion (12) is firmly anchored.

After deactivation of the vacuum pump (7) the valve (14) closes and by pressing the pressure relief valve (20) the pressure in the filling module (8) is balanced again with the ambient air. Through the negative pressure in the marking pen (8), the refill ink is drawn into the marker pen through the pen tip (19). Then the pen can be removed.

CLOSER DESCRIPTION ALONG TO THE DRAWING

Fig. 1 shows the refilling system (1) in an exemplary embodiment, consisting of a storage tank (2), a filling module (6), a vacuum pump (7), a stopcock (9) between storage tank (2) and filling module (6) and a marking pen (8) to be filled.

The storage tank (2) has a filling device (4), a level indicator (10), a pressure relief valve (5) and is filled with ink (3).

The filling module (6) has a level indicator (11), the insertion area (12) for the marker (8), a feed line (13) for the ink, a pressure relief valve (20) and a valve (14) to the vacuum pump (7).

The vacuum pump (7) is connected via a suction line (15) to the valve (14) on the filling mod ule and has an on (16) and -off switch (17).

The marker (8) consists of the ink reservoir (18), the housing (21) and the pen tip (19). Fig. 2 shows a further embodiment (33) of he refill system, consisting of a replaceable ink tank (26), a filling module (27), a vacuum pump (34), a seal (28) between the vacuum pump (34) and the filling module (27) , a seal (37) between filling module (27) and ink tank (26 a), ink (26 b) and a marker (35).

The replaceable ink tank (26) has a insert-shaped feed line (32)

The filling module (27) has the insertion area (36) for the marker (35), a seal (30) and a pres- sure relief valve (38)

The vacuum pump (34) has a on/off switch (39), a suction line (40) and a pressure relief line (41) leading to a pressure relief valve (42) The marker (35) consists of the ink reservoir (43), the housing (44) and the Pen tip (45).

Fig 3 shows a further embodiment, consisting of marker (35) with housing (44), ink reser voir (43), pen tip (45), ink buffer (46) insertion region (47) of the filling module (27), a Insert shaped feed line (32) (32 ), Ink tank (26 a), ink (26 b) and a suction line (40) between the filling module (27) and the control housing (48),

Connected to the control unit (49) are a vacuum pump (34) solenoid valves (50), pressure sensor (51), visual indicators (52, 53), a color selection key (58), a start key (55), a stop/ pause key (56), a status key (57), a display (58), the pressure sensor (51) and vacuum pump (34), solenoid valves (50) and distributing manifold (59).

Fig. 4 shows an embodiment (74) for manual filling, consisting of marker (75), ink tank (84), ink (83) an insert-shaped feed line (82), the insertion area (79) for the marker (75), Wick (80), an ink filled contact area between wick (80) , ink (81), and a feed line (82)

Between the ink tank (84) and the manual suction pump (94) are the flow regulator (85), a one-way valve (86) and a check valve (87).

The manual suction pump (94) consists of piston (88), seal (89), vent valve (90),

Spring (91) and cylinder (92).

The marker (75) consists of housing (76), ink reservoir (77), tip (78) and wick (80).

Claims

1. Refill system for ink-filled felt pens and markers, wherein the pen fakes in the refill ink by negative pressure in its base.

2. Refill system for ink filled felt pens and markers as to claim 1 , wherein the negative pres- sure is provided from a filling module, into which the pin is to be inserted on a sealing ring.

3. Refill system for ink-filled felt pens and markers as to claim 1 and 2, wherein a filling mod ule Is connected to a storage tank.

4. Refill system for ink filled felt pens and markers as to claim 1 to 3, wherein the negative pressure is generated by an electrical pump.

5. Refill system for ink filled felt pens and markers as to claim 1 to 4, wherein the negative pressure is generated with a manual pump.

6. Refill system for ink filled felt pens and markers as to claim 1 to 3, wherein the storage tank is replaceable.

7. Refill system for ink filled felt pens and markers as to claim 1 to 3, wherein the storage tank contains one or more colors.

8. Refill system for ink-filled felt pens and markers as to claim 1 to 3, wherein the storage tank has one or more openings.